Your first D&D character is a set of choices written on one sheet: who they are, what they are good at, and how they handle trouble. This guide takes you through the steps in the order you need them, explains what each decision changes, and shows where the rules differ between editions.
Fill In the Sheet in This Order
Each step depends on the one before it. Work from top to bottom and you will rarely need to erase.
| Step | Decision | What you write on the sheet |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concept | One sentence about who your character is |
| 2 | Species | Species name, size, speed, and traits |
| 3 | Class | Class name, hit die, saving throw proficiencies, and class features |
| 4 | Ability scores | Six scores and their modifiers |
| 5 | Background | Background name, skills, tools, and starting equipment |
| 6 | Skills | Proficient skills and their totals |
| 7 | Combat numbers | Hit points, armor class, initiative, and attack bonuses |
| 8 | Equipment and spells | Weapons, armor, gear, and spells if your class casts them |
| 9 | Personality | Traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws to roleplay |
The steps follow the core order used in both the original 2014 rules and the revised 2024 rules. Names and some numbers differ between editions; see How the Steps Change Between Rulebook Editions.
Start With One Sentence About Who Your Character Is
Write one sentence before you open a rulebook: who your character is, where they come from, and what they want. A sentence like "a former stable hand who wants to find the sister who left town" gives every later choice a reason. You do not need a finished backstory. The sentence only has to make the next choice easier.
Choose a Species (Called a Race in the Original Rules)
The species sets your character's size, speed, and a handful of built-in traits, such as darkvision or a special resistance. Pick the species that fits your sentence, then read every trait it gives you before you commit. Traits that change play matter more than the flavor text. In the revised 2024 rules, species no longer adds ability score bonuses; that job moves to the background.
Choose a Class for How Your Character Handles Problems
The class decides what your character is trained to do: fight up close, cast spells, sneak, heal, or fill one of many other roles. It also sets your hit die, the die you roll for hit points, and the two saving throws your character is good at. Ask one question to choose: when the party meets a locked door, an ambush, or a sick villager, what does this character reach for first?
Set Your Six Ability Scores
Ability scores are six numbers: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Your table can use any of three methods. Agree on the method with your Dungeon Master before you start.
- Standard array: assign the numbers 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8, one each, to the six abilities. Put the highest number in the ability your class relies on most.
- Point buy: you have 27 points to spend. A score of 8 costs nothing. Each step up costs more: 9 costs 1, 10 costs 2, 11 costs 3, 12 costs 4, 13 costs 5, 14 costs 7, and 15 costs 9.
- Rolling: roll four six-sided dice, drop the lowest, and add the other three. Repeat six times.
Modifier rule:
Take the score, subtract 10, divide by 2, and round down. A 15 gives +2, a 13 gives +1, and an 8 gives -1.
Worked example (Standard Array Rogue):
Apply any ability score bonuses from your species or background after this step. For a quick look at how dice odds work before you roll, see the Dice Probability Calculator.
Pick a Background for Skills, Tools, and Starting Gear
The background is your character's life before adventuring: a sailor, a scholar, a soldier, an acolyte, and many others. It gives you skills, tool proficiencies, starting equipment, and a background feature that helps in the story. Choose the background whose skills cover what your class does not. Write down the equipment it gives you, and the personality details it suggests.
Choose Your Skills and Tools
Your class gives you a set number of skill proficiencies to pick from its list. Your background gives you the rest. If both sources offer the same skill, choose a different one from your class list. Each proficiency adds your proficiency bonus, which is +2 at level 1, to checks with that skill. Write each skill with its total: the ability modifier, plus the proficiency bonus if you are proficient.
Work Out Hit Points, Armor Class, and Attack Bonuses
At level 1, your maximum hit points equal the largest value on your class's hit die plus your Constitution modifier. Armor class comes from your armor's base number plus the allowed Dexterity modifier. An attack bonus is the ability modifier for the weapon plus your proficiency bonus. Spellcasters also calculate a spell attack bonus and a spell save DC (8 + proficiency bonus + ability modifier).
Add Personality That Gives Your Character a Voice
Personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws are the parts you play out at the table. Write one of each. Make the flaw something that can get your character into trouble, because a flaw that never matters does nothing for the story.
Build the Whole Character With Paper and Pencil
You do not need an app, a website, or an account. Everything above works with these tools:
- 01.A blank sheet of paper, a pencil, and a soft eraser.
- 02.The rulebook for your edition, open to the species, class, and background pages.
- 03.A standard set of polyhedral dice (d20 for checks, d6s for scores).
- 04.Your margin for arithmetic.
When the sheet is complete, check it once against the steps above. Keep it in a sleeve or binder so you can find it at the table.
How the Steps Change Between Rulebook Editions
The steps above follow the core order in both editions. The names and some rules differ, so use the rulebook for the edition your table plays.
| Topic | Original rules (2014) | Revised rules (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage choice | Race | Species |
| Ability score bonuses | Come from your race | Come from your background |
| Background | Gives skills, tools, languages, and a feature | Gives ability score increases, an origin feat, skills, tools, and equipment |
| Creation methods | Standard array, point buy, or rolling | Standard array, point buy, or rolling |
Check exact wording, numbers, and feature names in the official rulebook for your edition. This guide does not replace it.
Check the Sheet With Your Dungeon Master
Ask your Dungeon Master (DM) to look over the sheet before the first session. They can catch a mismatch between your species and background, a rule from the wrong edition, or a score that needs a second look. Agree on any house rules, such as how scores are rolled, before you finalize the numbers.
Everything in this guide works with a pencil and your own rulebook. If you have no dice, no rulebook, and no idea where to begin, a ready-made starting point can save you time. The D&D beginners set is the starting point to check first. If you already own dice and a rulebook, you can skip ahead and start rolling.
See the D&D Beginners SetCommon Questions About Making a First Character
Do I need an app or website to create a character?
No. Everything in this guide can be done on paper, with the rulebook for your edition and a set of dice. Digital tools can speed up the arithmetic, but they are not required.
Should I roll for ability scores or use the standard array?
The standard array gives a balanced start and a quick build. Rolling gives more variety, but it can produce very high or very low scores. Ask your Dungeon Master which method the table uses.
Which rulebook should I follow?
Use the rulebook for the edition your table plays. Check the year on the cover. The core steps match in both editions, but names and some rules differ.
Do I need to know every rule before I make a character?
No. Choose a species, a class, and a background first, then read the features those choices give you. Most of the rules you need will come up during play.
What if I change my mind after I finish the sheet?
Erase and rewrite. A change made before the first session costs nothing, and your Dungeon Master can help you rework the numbers.